This invention relates to security devices, and more particularly to security locks for use on devices such as snowboards and the like.
Snowboarding and snow skiing are all extremely popular sports today. Snowboarding, like skateboarding, is one of the fastest growing sports today. One out of every four persons who regularly visits ski resorts owns or rides a snowboard. Snowboarding is increasing globally both as a competitive sport as well as an alternative to conventional skiing. Snow skiing is still the most popular wintertime sport in the world today, but snowboarding is gaining.
Snowboards are relatively expensive. The need for protecting snowboards in today""s increasingly crowded ski resorts is a must. As more and more people turn to snowboarding, the risk of theft is a growing concern.
Some people make use of steel cables with locks which can be used to secure these types of sporting equipment to some fixed object such as a secure pole. Unfortunately, these types of cable-lock devices must be carried by the person using the sporting equipment; for example, a snowboarder at the slopes has to physically carry the locking device, and the locking devices usually are bulky.
Ski resorts frequently have racks for skis, but which normally are not provided with any type of locking system, and such resorts generally have not yet addressed some type of rack for snowboards. As more and more people turn snowboarding, the risk of theft is a growing concern.
Therefore, there is a need for a reliable locking device. Some forms of locking devices have been devised as is evidenced by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,773,239, 5,179,847, 5,177,986, 5,706,680. However, these devices either involve locking devices that must be carried on the person while the sporting equipment is in use, such as a separable lock device, or they involve relatively bulky or complicated devices.
A suitable locking device would allow the snowboarder protection against theft. The locking devices of the present invention offer the snowboarder the opportunity for protection.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple locking device or system for sports equipment like snowboards.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a locking device for sports equipment, such as snowboards and the like, which does not require the person to carry a lock, cable or other separate locking device.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved security device for sports equipment.
The locking devices of the present invention will help deter a would-be thief from stealing snowboards and the like while the user has lunch, goes to the lodge, car, or any other situation would involve leaving their equipment behind for any length of time. The present locking concepts can provide the snowboarder the extra piece of mind by knowing their equipment is secure.
According to the present invention, a relatively simple and compact locking device is provided for snowboards and the like. In one embodiment, the device comprises a compact cable lock which can be mounted adjacent to the bindings attachment of a snowboard so as to be securely affixed to the sports item. A lock can include a releasable cable which is normally wrapped around a textured pad forming a xe2x80x9cstomp pad,xe2x80x9d but which can be extended to lock around a fixed pole or other fixed or stationary object so as to secure the snowboard thereto. Other embodiments have different forms of cable lock assemblies. Same use key locks and some have combination locks.